A physician typically accesses and visualizes tissue within a patient's gastrointestinal (GI) tract with a gastrointestinal endoscope (such as a gastroscope or a colonoscope) having a long, flexible insertion tube. For the upper GI, a physician may insert a gastroscope into the sedated patient's mouth to examine and treat tissue in the esophagus, stomach, and proximal duodenum. For the lower GI, a physician may insert a colonoscope through the sedated patient's anus to examine the rectum and colon. The light-obtained images from a video camera at the distal end of the insertion tube are displayed on a monitor for use by the physician. Some endoscopes have one or two working channels in the insertion tube extending from a port in the handpiece to the distal end of the insertion tube. A physician may insert medical devices into the working channels to help diagnose or treat tissue within the patient. Non-scope type catheters are known which do not have a video camera and which either have a working channel for insertion of a medical device therein or have an attached end effector defining the distal end of the catheter. In one known procedure, a physician uses a tissue-piercing implement in an endoscope working channel to cut the lumen wall to medically treat patient tissue outside the lumen. The point to cut the lumen wall is based on the physician's knowledge of general human anatomy. In another known procedure, light from a vaginally-inserted endoscope is seen on the other side of the vaginal wall by a laparoscope inserted into the stomach to determine the point for the endoscope to be used to cut the vaginal wall.
Imagers are known for obtaining 3-D (three-dimensional) image data of a patient and for displaying images of the image data on a display monitor. Such images include, without limitation, ultrasound images, X-ray images, computerized tomography (CT) images, positive electron emission (PET) images, magnetic resonance (MRI) images, fluoroscope images, etc. Where needed, it is known to register these images with a real world object by placing a marker on the skin of the patient, wherein the marker has a predetermined shape, and wherein the marker is recognizable in the image data using pattern recognition software (e.g., a conventional segmentation subroutine).
Position sensors are known which are placed on medical instruments which are inserted into a patient allowing the position of the medical instrument to be tracked inside the patient. Such position sensors are part of known position sensing systems such as an AC-based system available from Biosense-Webster or a DC-based system available from Ascension Technology Corporation.
Still, scientists and engineers continue to seek improved medical systems, methods, and storage media containing computer programs, all concerning natural orifice transluminal medical procedures.